The sequel to "The Legend of Zelda" was released in December 1988 to a slightly unenthusiastic public. People complained that the game was too different. For example, Link was older now, and could only fight with a sword. Battles took place on a side-scrolling screen (reminescent of the Super Mario Bros. series) instead of from an overhead view. Nevertheless, this was a very fun and challenging game, which has several rereleases over the years. The most recent one was on the Wii by downloading it via the Virtual Console Channel.

After defeating Ganon, Link stayed in the kingdom and lent to its restoration. However, Ganon's underlings still wrecked havoc, and threatened to revive Ganon by sacrificing Link and sprinkling his blood on Ganon's ashes.

As Link approached his 16th birthday, a mark just like the crest of the kingdom (the Triforce) appeared on Link's left hand. Link went to see Impa, who, shocked and disturbed, took Link to the North Castle. There, she took his hand and opened a magically sealed door. Inside the room slept an ancient Princess Zelda. Impa told him "the legend of Zelda," of how the princess had been put to sleep by an evil wizard for refusing to tell about the Triforce.

Impa gave Link an ancient scroll that nobody could read anymore. Link could read it as if it were talking to him. The scroll told him that he must undo a 'binding force,' which sealed the Triforce of Courage inside the Great Palace on the largest island of Hyrule, by placing a crystal in the forehead of six statues hidden in six palaces. Impa implored Link to retrieve the Triforce of Courage, to awaken Princess Zelda and bring peace back to Hyrule. Link nodded silently in approval, and took one last long glance at the altar before starting off on his long, lonely journey.